“I would like to see the Social Democrats, in particular, and the Labour Party coming together.There should be a natural coming together. They have many fine members. It’s hard to distinguish between Social Democrats and Labour. And there’s others: there’s Independents and people across other parties.

And really for the future of social democrats — which we all are — and the future of democratic socialists, really, there needs to be that coming together to forge a block not just in Leinster House but across the country.”

The 8th Amendment:

“I don’t tolerate the two phrases: pro-choice or the other extreme of pro-life. I’m in favour of getting rid of the Eighth Amendment and I’m in favour of legislating for the rights of women. A lot of these choices should be based on the relationship between a woman and her doctor, in consultation with her family.”

Marijuana for recreational purposes:

“Yeah, I think that’s something we could look at. But under certain conditions: because if you legalise it for medicinal purposes you’re opening a can of worms anyway. So, you might as well look at it in a broader sense. You’d have to look at volumes: what would be allowable and all that.”

More power:

“I’d love to be Taoiseach. If you’re going to answer that question: you should also put down what I really mean is that I’d love to maximise where the Labour Party gets to. That’s more important to me. I don’t want another headline: ‘Power is a Drug… It’s Suits Me!’ ‘Alan Kelly Wants To Be Taoiseach!’ For God’s sake!”

Water crisis

“This country is going to suffer as a result of the populist stance of people when it comes to water. Three quarters of people in Ireland were paying for water. And for one spin on the merry-go-round, Fine Gael abandoned all principle and got into bed with the most irresponsible politician in Ireland in Barry Cowen.”

]]>http://www.broadsheet.ie/2017/08/17/all-the-opening-quotes-from-the-wire/feed/1532482‘One Day Is Too Much, Four Years Is Torture’http://www.broadsheet.ie/2017/08/17/one-day-is-too-much-four-years-is-torture/
http://www.broadsheet.ie/2017/08/17/one-day-is-too-much-four-years-is-torture/#commentsThu, 17 Aug 2017 15:30:29 +0000http://www.broadsheet.ie/?p=532469

This afternoon.

Egypt Embassy, Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

A Protest to mark Fourth Anniversary of Ibrahim Halawa’s Arrest.

Amnesty International, USI and Unite Against Racism members gathered outside the Egyption Embassy calling for the release of Ibrahim, 21, from Firhouse, Dubin 24.

He was 17 when he was arrested during protests in support of Mohammed Mursi, who had been ousted from power in a military coup.

In a statement, his family said:

“Today we say that four years is too much – four years in an Egyptian prison, four years of a mass trial, four years of hope of freedom that never came true, four years of waiting.

One day is too much, four years is torture. We miss our brother desperately.“